RMD Advertising

Most food brands are fighting for shelf space.

The smartest ones are fighting for identity.

Garage Beer, Fly By Jing, and Ore-Ida all prove the same thing: when people buy into the culture, the product becomes secondary.

This week's newsletter explores why the next generation of food brands won't just sell products. They'll sell belonging.

The biggest sports moment of the summer is here, and most food brands think it's too late to join the conversation. ⚽️⏳

It's not.

Consumers aren't just watching matches. They're buying snacks, building watch party spreads, and exploring global flavors. The opportunity isn't owning the tournament. It's owning the occasion around it.

The best in the game Sarah Walters 👏👏

It's a brand new week so why not LITE IT UP with Greg and Pete and these excellent guests:

📊 Alfredo Romero – Economist
🗣️ Blaine Halverson – Data Center Activist, Uniting West Wisconsin
👨‍🏫 Charles Franklin – Professor of Law and Public Policy, Marquette University
🍝 Sarah Walters – Director of Communications, The Food Agency (RMD Advertising)

Most brands don’t miss trends because they’re slow. They miss them because they’re watching the wrong signals.

Every viral food trend follows a familiar path: a spark, a wave, and eventually, saturation.

The brands that consistently win aren’t chasing trends. They’re studying why trends spread in the first place.

The next viral food trend is already gaining traction somewhere. The question is whether your brand is positioned to recognize it before everyone else does.

Nostalgia is doing more heavy lifting than innovation right now.

People aren’t chasing “new.” They’re chasing feelings that remind them of simpler, slower, more human moments. And the smartest brands are building entire campaigns around that shift.

In this week’s newsletter, we break down why nostalgia marketing is exploding, what brands keep getting wrong, and how challenger brands can use emotional familiarity to drive real engagement without relying on decades of history.

Because in 2026, the brands people remember are the brands that make them remember something.

Check out the full newsletter: https://rmdadvertising.com/people-arent-chasing-new-theyre-chasing-familiar

Consumers aren’t chasing rewards anymore.
They’re chasing small moments that feel worth it.

The little treat economy is changing how consumers reward themselves and how brands earn repeat purchases. People aren’t waiting for big splurges anymore. They’re choosing small, everyday indulgences that feel rewarding in the moment.

The brands winning?
They’re building emotional relevance into everyday routines, not just offering discounts.

This week’s Food for Thought breaks down why “tiny indulgences” are becoming a serious growth strategy for food & beverage brands.